By: Brayden Fengler / February 1, 2024 The Canucks have extended GM Patrik Allvin, just over a week after they extended President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford. Rutherford and Allvin were both brought into the organization back in December of 2021.
Reading this hiring date out loud, it sounds and feels like a lifetime ago, especially when considering where the Canucks were then, and where Jim and Patrik have led them to now in terms of on-ice success.
Specifically with regards to Rutherford, Jim is 74 years old, soon to be 75 in just over two weeks. It was vastly speculated when Rutherford was brought on back at the end of 2021, that he may at some point, given his age, actually like to enjoy his retirement.
The thinking process was that Rutherford might step away from the club rather quickly once first-time GM Patrik Allvin was trained up.
However, that doesn’t seem to be the game plan anymore, if it ever was.
Whether considered separately or as a duo, it’s impossible to ignore the impact that both Jim and Patrik have had on this organization during their first few seasons, and their extensions are well-earned. Like Rutherford’s before him, Allvin’s extension is a three-year deal.
This term will allow Allvin to not only fully focus on the rest of this momentous season but will firmly cement the 49-year-old GM as the Canucks pertinent General Manager for the foreseeable future.
This fact will no doubt aid the Canucks in handling Elias Pettersson’s upcoming contract extension, as Pettersson and his team will now have a clear picture of what the Canucks management team is intended to look like for the next few years.
Allvin Responsible for Drastically Improved Canucks
The season before Allvin and Rutherford entered the fold, the Canucks finished the abbreviated 56-game campaign with 23 wins, equating to a points percentage of .446, putting the team 24th out of 31 NHL teams at the time.
In the years that have followed, the Allvin Canucks ended the 2021-22 season with a .561 points percentage. The following year they regressed slightly to a .506 points percentage by season’s end, still notably better than their performance during Benning’s last season as Canucks GM.
Any idling from last year can all be forgiven as the Canucks’ sit at an impressive .724 points percentage at this point in the season. This fact has the team at 1st in the NHL, with 33 wins so far. Wins-wise, this is already four more wins earned, in seven fewer games played, than the Canucks had during their last 56-game season.
This all-around improvement in the Canucks’ production can be attributed to wise moves and smart acquisitions made by the Canucks’ new management.
Allvin’s Asset Development
With regards to Allvin’s decisions around developing existing talent, take Nils Hoglander for example. last year Allvin sent Hoglander to play the bulk of his season in the AHL. This way Nils could gain further development in that league, which he never really earned during the Benning era after being thrown right into the NHL.
What has that move by Allvin done to Nil’s as a player and an asset? Well, Hoglander is now back with the Canucks proper and is currently on pace to have a 20+ goal season. This is a milestone that the young player has never been on track for before, even while considering points percentage during his impressive inaugural season in 2020-21.
So Far So Good With All Trades Under Allvin
On the trade front, Allvin has so far been extremely effective as well. Last year, the Canucks made the big move in keeping J.T. Miller and trading Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders in exchange for Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Raty and a first-round pick.
This is a move that has only aged well, especially given Miller’s continued success on the Canucks and Anthony Beauvillier being a key piece in the Canucks’ trade this November which saw them acquire Nikita Zadorov. Zadorov has so far been a vital asset in Vancouver’s continued efforts to improve their defensive game.
The proof is in the pudding for the Canucks GM and by extension Rutherford as well. Allvin’s extension is more than warranted, not just given the position the Canucks are in now, but how efficiently they have rocketed to this position during Allvin’s relatively short tenure.
Best of all, all of this success that Allvin has seen so far hasn’t resulted in Allvin showing any sign that he’s done finding ways to improve this team.
The ink hasn’t even dried on Allvin’s contract and already a massive trade has come out just this week, with the Canucks acquiring Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames. We have a separate article on this most recent trade if you would like to know more about Allvin’s latest move.
Full Steam
This NHL season is more than halfway over, and with the Canucks recent signings both on and off the ice it’s clear that the entire organization is intent on making this their season.
Allvin is undoubtedly a massive part of what will make this team successful for the rest of this season and the next three years to come. Next up, here’s hoping that after Allvin gets the new Elias onboard, the next dotted line to be signed is by the one currently wearing number 40.